位於大英博物館中庭的著名地標建築——圓頂閱覽室，自 2007 年起改裝成該館最新最大的特展空間，推出「偉大統治者」系列特展。首場「秦始皇帝：中國的兵馬俑」，以及緊接著的「哈德良：帝國與衝突」等兩項特展，分別呈現、探討了歐亞大陸東西兩大帝國的關鍵人物，及其時代意義與文明風貌。本文從參觀者的角度切入，針對兩項特展的展場空間佈局、展品內容以及解說等，進行了深入的討論與比較。 綜合來看，受限於借展展品的數量與內容，以及對於觀眾知識基礎的認知，秦始皇帝特展都比哈德良皇帝特展來得簡略與浮面。雖然文化交流以及引起公眾注意中國的目的是達到了，但是顯然比不上哈德良皇帝特展更能深刻掌握大英博物館引以為傲的啟蒙運動精神。

The Reading Room, a landmark building within the British Museum, has been converted into the designated area for a major exhibition series, “The Great Rulers’’, which began in 2007. The exhibitions, “The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army’’ a n d “Hadrian: Empire and Conflict’’, investigated the lives of two key figures in two great empires, as well as their historical significance and respective civilizations, located on opposite ends of Eurasia. This review, taken from a visitor’s perspective, discusses and compares in detail these two special exhibitions with regard to their spatial layouts, objects, and explanations. In short, although the purposes of cultural exchange and attracting the attention of the public were achieved, “The First Emperor’’ exhibition seemed superficial when compared with the “Hadrian" exhibition, the latter having reached the spirit of Enlightenment for which the British Museum is well known.